The 2025 Formula 1 season’s first Sprint Qualifying session brought plenty of drama on track, but Williams found themselves in hot water off it.
Ahead of the high-stakes Sprint Race at the Chinese Grand Prix, the FIA stewards have summoned the Atlassian Williams Racing team for failing to comply with technical regulations regarding onboard camera footage.
Technical Breach: Williams called to the Stewards
Following the first and only practice session in Shanghai, the FIA Technical Delegate, Jo Bauer, reported that Williams had failed to submit video footage from their wireless forward and rearward-facing cameras within the required one-hour timeframe. These cameras play a crucial role in compliance monitoring, as outlined in the FIA Technical Directive TD034L.
The infraction, a breach of Articles 3.2.2 and 3.15.16 of the 2025 F1 Technical Regulations, was deemed serious enough for the stewards to intervene. Williams’ team manager has been ordered to appear before the stewards at 08:30 am local time (00:30 am GMT) on March 22nd of the Chinese GP to address the matter.
Sprint Qualifying: High stakes in Shanghai
While controversy brewed off-track, the on-track action delivered a thrilling F1 Sprint Qualifying session. With only one practice session before the event, teams had minimal time to dial in their set-ups.
In SQ1, the session kicked off with high anticipation. Max Verstappen initially topped the timesheets, but Lewis Hamilton responded by setting the fastest lap before Oscar Piastri stormed into P1, half a second clear of the field. The intense battle for positions saw drivers pushing the limits, with Carlos Sainz, Ollie Bearman, and Esteban Ocon finding themselves in the drop zone.
Williams, despite their technical woes, managed to get both cars through to SQ2. Carlos Sainz put the FW47 on P13, while Alex Albon got through to SQ3. In the final Sprint Qualifying segment, the Thai-British driver secured P9.
The chance for Williams to score points during the F1 Sprint is high, but might a penalty hamper their efforts?
What’s next for Williams?
With their representative set to face the stewards, Williams could be looking at potential penalties, though the severity of the punishment remains unclear. The team will need to ensure compliance moving forward, as any further infractions could lead to stricter consequences.
As the first Sprint Race of the season approaches, the focus will shift back to the battle on track. Will McLaren maintain their advantage, or can Ferrari and Mercedes mount a challenge? One thing is certain—the Chinese GP weekend is already delivering drama on all fronts.
UPDATE: Williams handed 50,000 euro fine, 40,000 of it suspended
FIA statement
The Stewards heard from the team representative of Atlassian Williams Racing and the FIA Technical Delegate and determine as follows:
“TD034L was issued on 19th March 2025. TD034L addressed the topic of bodywork
flexibility in the context of Articles 3.2.2 and 3.15.1 of the Formula One Technical
Regulations.
“TD034L made it clear that:
‘Teams are responsible for ensuring that cameras are fitted with a suitably
formatted (FAT32 or exFAT format) and empty SD card at least 10 minutes prior to
the start of any session during which the cameras are to be fitted’.
“It is undisputed by the team that it failed to do so. The reason for the failure was
apparently the team’s belief that the cameras would come fitted with SD cards
supplied by the FIA. They did not check if they did.
“They apparently relied on an email from the FIA Techincal Delegate to one team
member that suggested that the teams could supply their own SD cards. The team
claimed that they assumed that the cameras that they installed on their cars were fitted with the SD card supplied by the FIA.
“They noticed during the middle of the session that there was a red flashing light in the cameras and reported that to the Technical Delegate. However, they did not know what the flashing light meant and in any event, it was too late to fit the SD card(s) by then.
“When the absence of the SD cards was discovered after the session, the team did
not report the fact of their failure to install the SD cards to the Technical Delegate.
“For avoidance of doubt, there was no suggestion that the wings were not in compliance with the bodywork flexibility requirements under the Technical
Regulations.
“Nevertheless, given that TD034L was clear in placing the responsibility for ensuring
that the cameras were fitted with the empty SD card on the team, it was equally clear
that the team was not in compliance with the directions in TD034L.
“We therefore find that the team has infringed Article 12.1.1i of the ISC and impose a fine of €50,000 euros on the team of which €40,000 would be suspended until 31st December 2025 subject to the team not committing a similar infringement.
Williams team statement
“We had concerns over the cameras not working in FP1, and as a result were in dialogue with the FIA throughout the session. Following the session, the FIA and ourselves have reviewed all procedures, and we can confirm that the failure to provide footage in the allotted time was down to a miscommunication, and internal processes will be addressed as a result so that this does not reoccur.
“For completeness we provided all footage as requested in Melbourne with no issue and will continue to support the FIA and provide all required footage in a timely manner going forwards. We have no concerns over the legality of our wing. It is the same wing we ran in Melbourne, is fully compliant and we did not have to make any adjustments further to the issuing of the new TD.
“Yesterday’s issue was procedural, and we are confident that we will provide all future recordings without issue.
“We understand that to ensure fair policing of technical regulations the FIA issued the resulting fine and we thank them for the constructive conversations and measured handling of this matter.”
